Thoughts on the good life as lived by an East Coast girl on the West Coast

Monday, April 6, 2009

Food for Thought

This is a hot topic that I've just had time to start reading about. Working/staying at home and motherhood. The LA Junior League invited Ms. Stone to speak with us last year and it was a very informative evening - and really enjoyable. I just read her book (I've had it for a while, but it didn't seem relevant until recently:)

She talks to a lot of highly educated, professional women about why they left their careers after having children and her conclusions are really interesting. If you are interested, I really recommend it. There is no judgment or agenda, just a thoughtful discussion of the forces that work to make career and motherhood very difficult to balance. Here's what I'm reading right now - and it's also fascinating. Women with families who work and who stay home provide insight into their decisions, and what helped them decide. It's fascinating stuff. I am an attorney, so I'm hopeful to continue my career after having a family. However, these books are really useful to get thinking about childcare, parenting responsibilities as well as my own assumptions. My mother was a fantastic and doting stay at home mum, and she really deserves credit for the success of my brother and I. (When I was in high school chemistry, she retaught herself to balance chemical equations to help me with my homework!) It's definitely a topic that interests me - if you've read anything on the subject, let me know what else I should read!

5 comments:

Interesting reading. It's a difficult choice to make-stay at home or work. You really can't decide what you want to do until you are holding your baby in your arms. EVERYTHING changes at that time. No one can prepare you-no matter how much you read! It's amazing and exhausting.

Thanks for your kind comments on the "designer's studio" post. We had such fun putting it all together. Scot is a really funny guy. I wish I could accurately translate his sense of humor to the post.

Thank you for the reading recommendations! As my husband and I think about starting our family, this topic is at the forefront of my mind. I am a business consultant and love my job; I would love to continue working when I have a family. However, there are so many other issues that cloud this opinion! I'm intrigued to know what these authors have to say on this topic.

I also just finished reading "Mommy Wars" - very helpful in helping women feel comfortable with whatever decision they make - not all moms are meant to stay at home full time and vice-versa. I also happen to be an attorney and it's a hard choice to give up a career in such a competitive field once you've established yourself - not to mention the time and money invested in education! Looking forward to checking out the other book "Opting Out."

Glad you all liked these books! I'll post more about the adventures of my friends returning to work with little ones - one of the perks of the government job is that I have a little more flexibility for my return, so I'm hoping to take 8 months (at least 6) and then be part time for a few more months. Cross your fingers it works out!